Music 101: The Symphony: From the Beginnings to Beethoven w. KUSC's Alan Chapman

Enhance your listening and appreciation of classical music through Music 101 with KUSC's Alan Chapman.

I have attended several of these and Alan Chapman is always very educational and entertaining.

DATE: Wed / Jan 14, 2026 - 7:30PM

VENUE: WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL
111 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

PARKING: $10.00 for the day. Disney Hall has a large underground parking structure. Other lots are available in the area. Street parking is difficult.

TICKETS: $7 + $1 fee

About this Performance
With vibrant visuals and many musical examples, Classical California KUSC’s Alan Chapman explores the wonders of some of the most popular symphonies. Along the way he’ll help you tune in to symphonic form and increase your listening enjoyment.

About Music 101
These music appreciation courses are designed for all audiences, from those who know very little about classical music to those who are lifelong listeners. Choose one or more classes, each of which explores a variety of topics illustrated with musical examples from the LA Phil’s season, plus vibrant visuals and a lively Q&A. See all upcoming Music 101 events and learn more, here.

Alan Chapman is a composer/lyricist, pianist, radio producer/host (Classical KUSC, Los Angeles) and educator. After receiving his undergraduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he earned a Ph.D. in music theory from Yale University. He is currently a member of the music theory faculty of the Colburn Conservatory. He was a longtime member of the music faculty at Occidental College and has also been a visiting professor at UCLA and UC Santa Barbara. His analytical work has appeared in the Journal of Music Theory and in The New Orpheus: Essays on Kurt Weill, winner of the Deems Taylor Award for excellence in writing on music.

Well known as a pre-concert lecturer, Dr. Chapman presents the Preview Talks for Pacific Symphony's Classical Series. His lectures have been presented by virtually every major performing organization in southern California. He has been heard globally as programmer and host of the inflight classical channels on United and Delta Airlines.

Dr. Chapman is also active as a composer/lyricist. His songs have been performed and recorded by many artists around the world and have been honored by ASCAP, the Johnny Mercer Foundation, and the Manhattan Association of Cabarets. His children’s opera Les Moose: The Operatic Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle was commissioned by Los Angeles Opera. Peter and Mr. Wolf, the story of an eighth-grader’s tribulations in finding a science project, was premiered by Chamber Music Palisades with Chapman as narrator. He is much in demand as a creator of original musical material for special events.

He frequently appears in cabaret evenings with his wife, soprano Karen Benjamin. They made their Carnegie Hall debut in 2000 and performed at Lincoln Center in 2006. Their other collaborations include Music of the People, a concert of art song settings of 19th-century American music, and Movie Music Magic, a program of cinematic favorites.